Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
Three Men in a Boat / Three Men on the Bummel
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c<strong>on</strong>t<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ued <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> dogged dumbness, until it was aga<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> broken by<br />
George.<br />
“What bicycle did you say this was of yours?” asked George.<br />
Harris told him. I forget of what particular manufacture it<br />
happened to be; it is immaterial.<br />
“Are you sure?” persisted George.<br />
“Of course I am sure,” answered Harris. “Why, what’s <strong>the</strong><br />
matter with it?”<br />
“Well, it doesn’t come up to <strong>the</strong> poster,” said George, “that’s<br />
all.”<br />
“What poster?” asked Harris.<br />
“The poster advertis<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g this particular brand of cycle,” expla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed<br />
George. “I was look<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g at <strong>on</strong>e <strong>on</strong> a hoard<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> Sloane<br />
Street <strong>on</strong>ly a day or two before we started. A man was rid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
this make of mach<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e, a man with a banner <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> his hand: he<br />
wasn’t do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g any work, that was clear as daylight; he was just<br />
sitt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g and dr<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> air. The cycle was go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
of its own accord, and go<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g well. This th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g of yours leaves<br />
all <strong>the</strong> work to me. It is a lazy brute of a mach<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>e; if you d<strong>on</strong>’t<br />
shove, it simply does noth<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g: I should compla<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> about it, if I<br />
were you.”<br />
When <strong>on</strong>e comes to th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>k of it, few bicycles do realise <strong>the</strong><br />
poster. On <strong>on</strong>ly <strong>on</strong>e poster that I can recollect have I seen <strong>the</strong><br />
rider represented as do<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g any work. But <strong>the</strong>n this man was<br />
be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g pursued by a bull. In ord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ary cases <strong>the</strong> object of <strong>the</strong><br />
artist is to c<strong>on</strong>v<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ce <strong>the</strong> hesitat<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g neophyte that <strong>the</strong> sport of<br />
bicycl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g c<strong>on</strong>sists <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> sitt<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g <strong>on</strong> a luxurious saddle, and be<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
moved rapidly <str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>the</strong> directi<strong>on</strong> you wish to go by unseen heavenly<br />
powers.<br />
Generally speak<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g, <strong>the</strong> rider is a lady, and <strong>the</strong>n <strong>on</strong>e feels<br />
that, for perfect bodily rest comb<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>ed with entire freedom<br />
from mental anxiety, slumber up<strong>on</strong> a water-bed cannot compare<br />
with bicycle-rid<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g up<strong>on</strong> a hilly road. No fairy travell<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<strong>on</strong> a summer cloud could take th<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>gs more easily than does<br />
<strong>the</strong> bicycle girl, accord<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g to <strong>the</strong> poster. Her costume for cycl<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g>g<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>in</str<strong>on</strong>g> hot wea<strong>the</strong>r is ideal. Old-fashi<strong>on</strong>ed landladies might